Orchestra of Voices verses Symphony of Farming

Last night I had the privilege of attending the last concert in this year's season of Stars for Saskatchewan. It was the concert I had been anticipating since the line-up was announced last summer. Well, 1 of the 2 concerts that I had been anticipating. Chanticleer. A Grammy award winning acapella group of 12 singers - all men. I was not disappointed. My family was unable to attend - the boys were seeding and DD was busy packing for her senior band tour. My friend, Karen, was able to come with me. I doubt if she enjoyed the concert as much as I did; in fact I doubt that anyone there enjoyed the concert as much as I did. In fact, it was so good, in my opinion, that during the intermission, I dragged Karen to the front row, where there were 2 empty seats, right smack in the middle of the row. I needed to see this group as up close and personal as I could possibly see them. And before the 2nd half of the concert started I ran to the lobby, where the cd's were being sold, and was able to have a good visit with 1 member of the group, and say a quick hello to another member of the group. Were they ever young! And talented! And friendly!  And they were resplendent in their tuxes and tails. It has been the only concert, in the years that our family has had season tickets, that has moved me to tears. The concert was flawless. As close to perfect as anything I have ever heard. And I have been to many extraordinary choral concerts. I am even more excited now to hear the music in heaven.  Anyway, after the concert, my friend and I were invited to attend the reception with the Allied Arts Council and Chanticleer. Apparently, my exuberance had been noticed, as had my appreciation for the group. The guys that I talked to were all so friendly and down to earth. They answered all my questions.  I listened to the assistant director and one of the other guys as they were conversing with others at the table where we were sitting.  So interesting!  I am so appreciative to have been invited to the reception. Listening to Chanticleer was like listening to an orchestra - an orchestra of voices.

And now back to reality. Back to my world.  The world of farming. And as I was outside this morning helping My Sweetheart as he was filling the air cart with treated lentils I was trying to compare this farm life with my music life.

Most farmers might not know that when the mixing thing is mixing up the innoculant and water, and is banging loudly against the auger, it is drumming out a rhythm of sixteenth notes, with the accent on the first of  every 4 beats.  I noticed that today. TA ta ta ta TA ta ta ta TA ta ta ta - and so on, steady, steady, steady.

I was listening too, to the music of the birds. Beautiful. But I could only hear the birds when the loud mixing thing wasn't going. The bird song was always there,it  just needed to have the loudness diminished before they could shine.

And the breeze provided a steady continuity to today's orchestra.

Well, that's what I noticed when I was helping My Sweetheart today. But, I'm thinking that maybe you might not have noticed the music of the morning, so I grabbed my camera to show you what  was going on during the symphony.

Here I am at my job post.

I was entrusted with the job of turning the red knob and red lever!

This is the thingamajig that mixes up the innoculant and water. The thing right in the middle of the picture, that is drill-like in appearance, is what mixes the innoculant and water. It beats the drumming rhythm. The innoculant, which has the texture of peat moss, is mixed with water. I controlled the speed in which it mixed in with the lentils as it was being augered up into the air-cart. The innoculant makes it possible for the lentils to put nitrogen back into the soil.

 Here is My Sweetheart, on top of the air-cart, watching as the lentils are being augered up!

Here are the lentils, in their compartment of the cart!

Right beside the lentil compartment is the compartment for fertilizer. The auger is inserted, ready to dump the fertilizer in!

A view from the top of the air-cart

Another view!  See the beautiful blue sky?

the stairs from the top of the air-cart that I had to trepidatiously climb down.

the view from the front of the tractor!

Looking out the back window!

My Sweetheart is now out seeding the lentils that I helped fill up the air-drill with.

Here is a view from the east of our yard looking west. The bins that you might see on the left hand side of the picture are actually bins in the yard of our neighbors who live right across the road from us!

Chico and Bentley enjoyed being outside helping with the farming today!

The walk back to the yard!



After a very early morning, after a very late night - awake at 5, up by 6, I am now very tired. After listening to extremely beautiful, peaceful music last night, and very loud, noisy farm sounds this morning, my brain needs to rest. As does the rest of my body. I'm now heading off for a nap!